Turkey signs agreement with the United States for purchase of F-16 aircraft

(Patria) - Turkey and the United States have signed an agreement for the sale of F-16 fighter jets after
Washington gave the green light for a deal worth $23 billion, sources from the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Thursday, AFP reported.

"The contract has been signed and delegations from both sides are negotiating the details," the ministry sources said.

Under the agreement, Turkey will receive 40 new F-16s and upgrades for 79 aircraft in its existing fleet. The State Department last week hailed a "major step forward" in the purchase of new F-16 fighter jets from Turkey, calling them "the most advanced F-16s ever made available only to the closest allies and partners."

"Just the latest example of the US enduring commitment to the security partnership with Turkey," a social media post stated.

Under the law, the State Department notified Congress in January of the agreement, as well as a separate sale of 40 F-35s to Greece worth $8.6 billion.

The US did not give the green light for the sale until Turkey ratified Sweden's NATO membership. The Turkish parliament did so in January after more than a year of delays, which unsettled the West as it faced Russia's war against Ukraine.

Erdogan is expected to join NATO leaders at a summit in Washington next month.